Participants

Wambua Kikwatha - team leader John Mungai Henry Lekochere Adan Abdi Gerald Maghanga 2 KWS rangers

Area Covered

During the course of the month we carried out patrols at the Maktau, Ziwani, Lumo and Taita Hills, and the Kishushe Park boundary

TOTAL SNARES COLLECTED 127 TOTAL ARRESTS 8

Findings

Kishushe Park Boundary and Tsavo River

We delegated only one day to patrols in this area, as it is an area we visit often and there is a need to check other areas as well. During the day 51 snares were lifted all of which targeted small game. A poacher’s hideout was found and the team destroyed all the wares that were recovered.

Maktau, and Lumo Community Sanctuary

As in previous months this area did not have a large number of snares. However night poaching is taking place. Poachers are now poaching at odd hours making it difficult to arrest them. Through the use of informers we were tipped off about a group of night poachers operating the area and staged an all night ambush. Three poachers were arrested in possession of 17 dead Dikdik.

All three were booked at Taveta police station. During our patrols at the Maktau Lumo border 4 grazers were arrested and consequently booked at Taveta police station. Upon interrogation we found that they had come from Mbarre ranch and claimed to be on transit to the Taveta Mhoho farm. It was later established that they simply wanted to graze their cattle in the park. No snares were lifted at Maktau or Lumo. Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

Our de-snaring efforts at Taita hills yielded only 9 big snares. This area has been patrolled continuously for the past few months. The levels of snaring in the area have decreased. However we were not able to establish if night poaching is taking place in the area by poachers from the Burra and Mwachuma areas.

Community Work

This month the Ziwani team carried out several community based initiatives. Together with the Burra team, who have a mobile cinema, videos about wildlife and wildlife conservation were show to Maktau Secondary school over a period of two hours.

Presentations about the bushmeat trade and the need to conserve our wildlife and indigenous forests were given by the team leaders.

On the 24th of October Maktau Primary School was treated to a field trip to Mzima springs.

Other areas visited during the days outing were Chaimu, Shetani lava, Severine camp and the adjacent areas.

Report by Wambua Kikwatha